Improved process of preserving timber from decay



C. BROWN Preserving Wood.

No. 83,758. Patented Nov. 3, i868.

'ii luitml 5mm @www wm @tease-w- CHARLES BROWN, OF ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VIRGINIA.

' Letters Patent No. 83,758, dated November 3, 1868. y

IMPROVED PROESS F PRESERVING- TIMBER FRCM DECAY.

The Schedule referred to in these Lettere Patent and making part of the sama.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, yCHARLES BROWN, of the county of Albemarle, in the State of Virginia, have invented a new and improved Mode of Preserving Timber, or preventing its decay; and I hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description thereof, reference being 'had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in filling the pores of the wood with a certain material or materials, to be4 hereafter mentioned, which renders the timber almost like stone, for durability, and which I call lapidifying wood.

To enable others to understand my process, reference must be had to the drawing, which represents an iron vessel, in winch the Wood is to be treated- Figure l being an elevation of the same, and

Figure 2, a longitudinal vertical section.

The wood toV be used, such as railroad-ties, fenceposts, ship-timber, St'c., should first be shaped as desired, and well dried, freed from all sap or moisture,

and can be introduced into the body of the vessel 6'-- through the opening in the vlower end, closed bya screwplug 7 atterthe introduction of the wood. Previous to putting in the Wood, I prepare the material to be used for preserving it.

In my experiments, I have taken sandstone, (emery,) which abounds in the red lands ofVirginia, and reduced the same to a very ne powder, bolted, as door is done, so fine that it may be suspended in water kept in moderate motion. When a suiiicient quantity is used, the water is drained olf, and the emery dried.

It of itself can be used, but an addition of' ten or twelve per cent. of caustic lime or carbonate of iron makes it better. All these materials should be well dried before mixing.

-The caustic lime I prefer made oni the blue limestone, the gray containing too much magnesia, which weakens the cement, and shell-limestone contains too much animal matter, not decomposed by burning.

After mixing the emery and the lime or carbonate of iron, in the desired proportions, I make it into a thick mortar, and put it into the hopper 5.

Hydraulic lime does well as one of the ingredients, if used before it sets; but this property makes it rather undesirable.

It will be seen the lower end of the hopper is securely closed, and in such manner as to be readily opened, to permit its contents to enter, chamber 6, where the wood to be treated rests. i 4 forms a stopper for the bottom of hopper 5. This stopper may screw in or out, or the handle of it may be Vconstructed to do so.

The leg 6 is connected with the arm 2, by means of an elbow, l, or all three may be made in one piece.

6 may have a solid end, and the wood may be entered through an opening in elbow l.

The arm 2 may be used asa pump, by which to .exhaust the air iu the vessel, 3 representing a plunger' or valve. The air can be exhausted by applying any airpump suited to such purpose.

After the' air shall have been exhausted, the cement 0r emery in hopper 5 is permitted to enter the exhausted receiver, and the pores of the wood are instantly filled, and the wood becomes heavy and hard, unfit to be dressed by edge-tools, preventing depredations from worms, ahnost indestructible by re and exposure, being almost impervious to water.

All sandstones, as the grindstone, may be cemented with the carbonate of iron.

I commenced my experiments in preserving wood nearly fty years ago, and had a piece buried, treated asdescribed, twenty years, without decay, whereas a piece not treated, buried alongside of it, rotted in three years.

Havingl thus described my invention,

W'hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

Preserving or lapidifying wood, in the manner and with the material or materials substantially as described.

CHARLES BROWN.

Witnesses:

H. BENSON, J Mns LOBBAN. 

